News & market updates

JAT Holdings PLC has begun re-entering Australia with the Mirotone brand, dispatching the first shipment within seven months of completing its October 2025 acquisition of Mirotone NZ Ltd. Initial focus is Queensland with secured returning customers and a phased rollout to other states to boost international revenue.

Sysco LABS Managing Director Thushera Kawdawatta joined a SLASSCOM CEO Breakfast Forum panel on "Transforming Cyber Security into Business Resilience" to discuss the role of cybersecurity in building organizational resilience.

The Thailand–Sri Lanka Business Forum highlighted opportunities from the new Sri Lanka–Thailand FTA, with bilateral trade at USD 649m in 2025 (up 48%) and commitments to boost supply chains, investment and trade across food processing, logistics, IT, healthcare, tourism and manufacturing.

Dilmah Ceylon Tea Co chairman backed the National Export Development Plan to raise exports to $36bn by 2030, urging a shift to premium, quality-focused exports rather than competing on volume. He called for investment in testing, traceability and trade deals; CEAT Kelani urged policy consistency and supply-chain fixes.

The Sri Lanka Export Development Board ran a Technical Exposure and Capacity Building Program alongside THAIFEX–ANUGA ASIA 2026 (24–31 May) in Bangkok, taking 11 export-ready Sri Lankan food & beverage SMEs to gain market, packaging and marketing insights and meet Thai industry bodies.

The ASPI edged up 0.01% to 22,256.49 with turnover above Rs.1.56bn and foreign investors net-selling Rs.225mn. Hemas, NDB and Hayleys Fibre were top turnover contributors (Hemas and Hayleys up, Panasian Power down).

Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers Ltd and Forbes and Walker Warehousing Ltd were awarded Carbon Neutral Certification by the Sri Lanka Climate Fund Ltd. The certification recognises their quantification, verification and offsetting of GHG emissions via the Forbes and Walker Rooftop Solar Project and helps position the group to meet tightening exporter sustainability rules, notably in the EU.

The National Chamber of Exporters warns unresolved regulatory, operational and policy bottlenecks could hamper Sri Lanka's US$36bn export target by 2030; total exports were US$4.31bn in Q1 2026 (up 1.59% y/y). Sectors including coconut, floriculture, minerals, boat-building and logistics seek digitised single-window clearances, labour import mechanisms and royalty/licence reforms.

JAT Holdings PLC has commenced re-entry of the acquired Mirotone brand into Australia via Mirotone Australia Pty Ltd, seven months after completing the Mirotone acquisition in October 2025, securing initial customers in Queensland.

The Industries Ministry has launched a six-month reform to rewrite the Industrial Development Board's founding Act for the first time in 57 years and to overhaul SME policy and restructure institutions to realign industrial development and boost firm management capacity.

Sri Lanka will enact key reforms within the next 90 days, including changes to the BOI and EDB and tabling the Investment Protection Act and PPP Bills to attract investment and boost exports. The IMF says a clear PPP Act is crucial for governance, while labour reform timing is uncertain.

Sri Lanka used the 10th China–South Asia Expo in Kunming to boost market access, with Yunnan authorities agreeing to provide a 2,000 sq m free warehouse in Kunming for Sri Lankan exporters to store and distribute goods via Chinese e-commerce. The pavilion highlighted tea, spices, coconut products, processed foods, handicrafts and tourism services amid rising participation and trade growth with China.

CEAT Kelani Holdings honoured 76 employees at its 2026 Long Service and Best Employee Awards, including 32 staff marking 25 years of service. The company said nearly 20% of its workforce has served over 15 years and it exports about 20% of its output to 16 countries.

Sri Lanka and Thailand plan to deepen trade and investment using the Sri Lanka–Thailand FTA and enhanced B2B engagement, targeting tourism, hospitality, food processing, agriculture, logistics and other sectors to boost bilateral ties and supply‑chain links.

EDB ran a Technical Exposure and Capacity Building Programme alongside THAIFEX–ANUGA ASIA 2026 (24–31 May 2026) in Bangkok for 11 Sri Lankan export-ready food & beverage SMEs. The delegation visited packaging and processing facilities and met Thai industry bodies to gain market, packaging and marketing insights to support export expansion.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake chaired a meeting to find swift solutions to strengthen Sri Lanka's apparel sector and boost dollar export earnings; discussed measures include plug-and-play factory infrastructure, land/legal reforms, VAT relief proposals, expanded FTAs and a National Single Window due end-July.

The EDB convened a special meeting with industry stakeholders to address a coconut coir/fibre raw-material shortage that is disrupting production, raising costs and delaying exports. Coconut coir and fibre exports reached ~USD 294m in 2025 (up 22.5% y/y); the EDB discussed short-term relief and longer-term supply-chain interventions.

Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe said Sri Lanka can reach $36bn in exports under the National Export Development Plan if urgent reforms, strategic FDI and lower energy costs are delivered. The government will prioritise digitalisation, trade facilitation, supply‑chain improvements and value addition, with focus on plantations while warning of acute skills shortages.

Lakarcade has been appointed as a National Entity Member of the World Crafts Council AISBL, elevating Sri Lankan handicrafts to an international platform. The membership enables Lakarcade to represent Sri Lankan craft at global forums and support artisan communities and craft development initiatives.

Seylan Bank launched 'Seylan Athwela', a concessionary agriculture financing programme offering loans up to LKR 5 million at 5% interest and financing up to 75% of project costs with tenors of up to 3 years (working capital) and 5 years (investment). The scheme funds cultivation (excluding tea/rubber/coconut cultivation), processing/value-addition, machinery, sheds, warehouses, solar projects and working capital to support farmers and agribusinesses.

Sri Lanka urged Belgian and Luxembourg investors to seize opportunities in infrastructure and green energy, pointing to planned PPP and investment protection reforms and competitively priced land. Officials highlighted Port City expansion, shipbuilding, marinas and agricultural processing as priority sectors for partnerships.

Sri Lanka briefed about 100 foreign mission representatives to seek support promoting the rescheduled Sri Lanka Expo 2027 (Jan 14–17, 2027) to attract international buyers, investors and business delegations.

Veepee Graphics Lanka exhibited at the Sri Lanka Print and Trade Fair Exhibition 2026 (BMICH), showcasing its flexible-packaging innovations including AI-driven workflows and Extended Colour Gamut screening to regional and international clients.

Emerging Women Summit in Kilinochchi drew over 200 participants, including 150+ women entrepreneurs, to strengthen access to finance, markets and business support. Organised by LIIN under the GRIT Project (funded by Global Affairs Canada), the event featured financing and market-access sessions, 40+ stalls and participation from institutions including DFCC Bank and Commercial Bank.

Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha met Sri Lankan business leaders including John Keells Holdings' Krishan Balendra and Hayleys' Dhammika Perera; John Keells-backed Colombo West International Terminal handled over 1 million TEUs in its first year. Sri Lanka's cabinet approved a 2,269.18 million rupee transmission-line tender to a JV including Hayleys Fentons, and talks covered trade, investment and a Rupee-to-Rupee commercial corridor with India.

Sri Lanka has issued a Gazette to systematically monitor imports, requiring detailed importer information and mandating banks to assign a separate identification number for each transaction to curb illicit foreign-exchange outflows. The move follows disclosures of scams using fake company registrations and aims to protect reserves without fully restricting trade.

Oil prices fell as tankers resumed transit through the Strait of Hormuz after a US‑Iran interim deal; Brent was $79.42/bbl (down $0.43, -0.54%) and WTI $76.43/bbl (down $0.17, -0.22%).

EU-funded Green Recovery Facility and the Rubber Development Department are running a capacity-building programme to prepare Sri Lanka’s rubber sector for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), including a workshop and training expected to directly train about 280 stakeholders. The initiative aims to strengthen traceability and due diligence to protect access to EU markets.

Government aims to lift gem and jewellery exports from about $300m to around $1–1.2bn by boosting value‑addition and marketing and tackling smuggling. Plans include regulatory reforms, a proposed Gem and Jewellery Experience Centre and the Gem City Ratnapura Exhibition (31 Aug–2 Sep 2026) to attract international buyers.

UK Trade Envoy Lord Hannett and British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick met Industry Minister Sunil Handunneththi to discuss strengthening bilateral trade and investment, including boosting utilisation of the UK Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) to expand Sri Lankan exports.